Amazing Grace Lyris Quartet

• Ben Johnston (1926 - 2016): String Quartet No. 4 "Amazing Grace" (After J. Newton):
• 1 Johnston: String Quartet No. 4 "Amazing Grace" (After J. Newton) 11:34
• String Quartet No. 9:
• 2 Johnston: String Quartet No. 9: I. Strong, Calm, Slow 07:10
• 3 Johnston: String Quartet No. 9: II. Fast, Elated 03:33
• 4 Johnston: String Quartet No. 9: III. Slow, Expressive 03:45
• 5 Johnston: String Quartet No. 9: IV. Vigorous and Defiant 05:45
• Octet "Ashokan Farewell":
• 6 Johnston: Octet "Ashokan Farewell" 12:23
• Total Runtime 44:10

Info for Amazing Grace

World Premiere recording of BEN JOHNSTON’S last composition – OCTET: “Ashokan Farewell” featuring Lyris Quartet, who also plays his Quartet #9 and the world’s favorite, Quartet #4: Amazing Grace.

“More than 20 years ago, the music critic John Rockwell described Ben Johnston in the New York Times as ‘one of the best nonfamous composers this country has to offer.’ What has changed is that Johnston is now, I’d suggest, our best nonfamous composer.” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times)

“Graciously experimental in his early years and simply gracious in later ones….tunings take on the character of detours into intriguing territories, familiar but fantastical. Microtonal harmonies open doors of the tune and the timbres. The (Octet) melody is no longer a farewell but a welcome mat to the ears to come inside. I am unable to describe just how moving this sense of belonging made by music can be, but I sensed an aura of sublimity all around me.” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times)

Lyris Quartet

The Lyris Quartet
is a Los Angeles based string quartet. The quartet was founded after a conversation between violinist Alyssa Park, who has enjoyed an illustrious career as an international soloist and is the youngest prizewinner in the history of the Tchaikovsky International Competition and violinist Shalini Vijayan who has built a career as an advocate of modern music as a member of Grammy nominated groups, Absolute Ensemble and Southwest Chamber Music. Drawing on their diverse backgrounds, these musicians chose to create a string quartet that could encompass their love for both standard and modern repertoire and commission works from living composers. Violist Luke Maurer and cellist Timothy Loo joined the group and Lyris was formally founded in 2008. The Lyris Quartet has performed at the most prestigious chamber music venues in Los Angeles including the Bing Theater at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Broad Stage, Zipper Hall at The Colburn School, Royce Hall, and Disney Hall. They opened the Long Beach Opera’s production of Janacek’s Cunning Little Vixen with a featured performance of the “Intimate Letters” quartet and performed the west coast premiere of David Lang’s The Difficulty of Crossing a Field. Other performances have included the South Bay Chamber Music Series, Los Angeles Music Guild, LA Musical Salon, and Jacaranda: Music at the Edge. Lyris has been heard on multiple live radio broadcasts on KUSC 91.5 and KPFK 90.7.

Booklet for Amazing Grace